Keri Hilson’s Advice To Female Songwriters

Keri Hilson spoke to The Boombox about the gender disparity among songwriters. Though the songwriter turned singer believes things have gotten better, she still admits, old habits die hard. “It still is a male-dominated world, but there are some amazing songwriters that are doing their thing,” she told the site. “It’s becoming more balanced, but there are still way more successful men.”

Like us on Facebook and check TheUrbanDaily, daily.

While discussing the challenges women in the industry will run into, those aspiring to emulate the success she and others like Ester Dean, Linda Perry, and Diane Warren all enjoy can take heed.

Keri said:

“The one thing that females are going to run into is not being taken seriously. We’re women, and it is male-dominated. You have to demand an equal amount of respect, and the way you do that is do what you came to do — impress them and leave. If you make a wrong decision, it’s going to make it that much harder. Me, I’ve never had that problem. I come and do my job, stay until the job is done and I leave. That’s the only hardship that women run into. A lot of times it’s a dark room, in the middle of the night, we’re working ’til morning. These are circumstances that are not normal. If you demand respect, the sessions will go as comfortable as you are. Bottom line: Just keep it professional.”

You can read more of Keri’s thoughts, as well as those from The-Dream on the songwriting gender gap at The Boombox.